The Hindu : Front Page : 13 watersheds to be developed on Sirumalai hills with community participation

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Sunday, Dec 13, 2009
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13 watersheds to be developed on Sirumalai hills with community participation

Staff Reporter

A special gram sabha meeting will be convened on December 15 to discuss its implementation
The community will be vested with powers to maintain these structures, says Dindigul Collector

DINDIGUL: Ten watershed areas in Vadamadurai union and 13 watersheds on Sirumalai hills will be developed with community participation under the Integrated Watershed Management scheme to augment groundwater and enhance agriculture activities.

A special gram sabha meeting will also be convened on December 15 in the respective panchayats to discuss the implementation of the programme.

A total of 10,000 hectares of wasteland will be developed in Sirumalai and other villages, including Pilathu, Thennampatti, Sindhuvarpatti and Iyyalur in Vadamadurai union.

Farmers to be benefited

Farmers will be the ultimate beneficiaries of the scheme, according to officials. Experts and scientists identified these potential areas using remote sensing and GPS, the Collector M. Vallalar said. The district administration has already conducted a special training programme on various uses of GPS and remote sensing for officials. Reclamation of land, construction of soil and stone bunds, rainwater harvesting pits, check-dams, percolation ponds, farm ponds and natural water sources for cattle, desilting of tanks and supply channels, afforestation, fodder cultivation and creation of fruit tree groves will be the prime activities in these watersheds in order to convert wasteland in drought-prone areas and on the hill into cultivable lands.

All these works will be taken up with participation of community only. The community would be vested with powers to maintain these structures, said Mr. Vallalar.

To know the views of local people, a special gram sabha meeting will be convened in the respective panchayats.

All works will be implemented on the basis of views expressed by the community. Landless poor and women would be roped in to form self-help groups as part of this project to enhance their economic status, he said.

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